When They Got You
by robisonnoel
Summary: Mab the Winter Queen, and Pele Goddess of Fire and Lightning, change places. Will the world survive?


**Chapter One -TALON**

First of all, let's get one thing straight. "I AM NOT A WIZARD"! Is that clear enough for you? If I were a wizard, there are all sorts of bull shit I would have to put up with, which was painfully explained to me by this tall serious looking gentleman from Chicago, who came to visit. What I am is a "One Trick Pony", and thus not a wizard, though I have been highly encouraged to follow their rules of magic, or I may just end up on the wrong side of a sword. Which frankly is the least of my problems.

Next is my, girlfriend. The guy from Chicago really shook his head over her. She is absolutely one of a kind, and I mean that literally. She is an elf, human, vampire hybrid, with just a touch of something else …. I'll let that settle in a bit.

It's kind of hard to describe her looks. She looks sort of Asian, with grass green eyes, 5'6", maybe all of 110. She's really slender, but it's the sleekness of strength, not frailty. Currently here hair is a Platinum blonde, though I have seen it practically every color in the rainbow, and no she doesn't dye it. This is really weird; it changes colors on it own by no discernable pattern. Though if you see it go bloody red, RUN!

I wasn't sure if the guy from Chicago was going to laugh or run, either which could have been a disaster, but instead something happened that surprised us both. This wooly mammoth of a dog he had with him starts prancing around her like a puppy, licking her face like a long lost owner, and she did something that I would not have even realized she could do. She giggled! Seriously! This is some what frightening to me as I have seen her rip a vamp in two with her bare hands. Having been raised as the wheelman for a group of vampires, kind of messes up your childhood. Which is a story for another time. Anyway since we rescued each other, we have pretty much stuck together, and I'm not sure I would know how to live any other way.

Imagine one morning you wake up in excruciating pain. You're in a hospital bed, and when the nurse comes to check on you she calls you a name that you do not recognize. On further deliberation you discover that you really don't remember anything. Oh you can read, form opinions and such, but when you try to look back into the past, there's just nothing. That's me. I'm sort of fucked up. I'm pretty sure that I was never one to be called good looking, proportionally I'm just wrong. Long of leg, and arm, I just seem to be two different people stuck together. An IED in Afghanistan further added to the confusion, took one eye, and any memories of a past life I might have had. My military records say I am a Marine, but a tattoo on my arm says I'm a SEAL, and even after reviewing my medical records, there's way too many scars that aren't accounted for. My hair is pretty much grey now, and my eye is blue.

After being discharged, Jinn and I got an old truck and we traveled, sticking mostly to the less populated sections of the U.S. In the end we ended up in the western section of Montana, just east of the continental divide. PTSD is a bitch, but here I found a new calling, I'm a forest protector. This part of the world is not normal, and at one time or another someone realized it and set up a trust to protect it in perpetuity. Don't know why, but after aimlessly driving around the country with Jinn, something drew us here. No other explanation, just one day we decided to stop, and it felt like home. We camped out that first night, and it felt like we were being watched, and we were. The next morning a lawyer from the nearest town shows up, out of the blue, and offers a job as caretaker of a cabin up the road. The place was magnificent, and we quickly agreed, dummies, and when we ask when we'll meet the owner, the man replies. "Hopefully you won't. He's dead".

"So who are we watching the place for", I ask.

The lawyer shakes his head, "you'll see".

Screw it, this is a really nice house, and winter is coming. I figure what the hell, we needed a place to live, and short of going to Alaska, this was probably as remote as we would find. It's a nice house. What could go wrong?

What's wrong is that this mountain valley is one of the places in the world where reality is really thin. On many nights during the year, even a vanilla mortal can call up a portal, and enter the Nevermore. Sometimes things from the other side drop through and have to be dealt with. The animals here are special as well, many attached to their spirit animals, like living totems. Oh, and we met the owner of the house. He's a wolverine, well most of the year anyway. In life he was a wizard who was learning to shape shift, when he angered an Indian medicine man, who cursed him to remain as the last animal he had transformed into. He can change back into a man occasionally, and if he saves it up he can actually maintain it for about a week each year. During this period, he usually heads to Las Vegas, and ends up carousing for the entire week. Last year I had to go get a pissed off, hung over, wolverine out of the Bunny Ranch when he misjudged his time.

Well the day had started pretty much the way that every day started. Wake up, get coffee on, do some chores. Today was splitting wood. Jinn had gone up for a last visit with Bear up in the high valley. From the first time those two had met it was like they were family. Bear was a grizzly bear, and I mean the grizzliest of grizzlies. At about 17 feet long and 1700 lbs., there was little that would trouble him. In his little mountain valley, a stream ran, filled with brook trout, and in the hottest summer months you could find the bear lounging in it. Jinn would swim and sunbathe there, and spend hours with a curry comb, brushing out the monstrous bear. She had gone to check up on him as it was very close to Christmas, and our part of the mountains had gotten freakishly little snow. He would usually be hibernating at this time, and she wanted to see if he was alright.

I could sense her coming down the trail, but something was wrong, just before she comes skidding out of the brush, an arrow comes flashing through, narrowly missing her. Not wasting any time, I reached down and grabbed a hand full of gravel, and flung it into the trees behind her, neatly intercepting an elf in "I shit you not" armor. A few pieces of rock hit him and took him off his his feet without piercing his armor. I had a solution for that, and drew my 1911 Colt.

The trick I can play is pretty neat, and probably breaks a couple of laws of physics. First I can control the speed of most anything, accelerating or decelerating things. The bigger the item the harder it is. With my old pickup, I can push her to about 200 miles an hour in the quarter, a pretty wild ride, or with a thrown rock, it strikes like a 150mph fastball. A regular bullet, from say my 1911's, I can practically vaporize them with acceleration.

Second part of this is, I never miss. As long as I'm concentrating on an object I cannot miss it, with anything that I control, which this Elven asshole was going to really regret in a bit.

Just as I was going to shoot, a flicker from the right grabs my attention, and another arrow arcs from the brush, towards my face. Slowing it down, I bat it aside with my pistol, and once again turn my attention to the other, who while I was distracted, bolts back into the brush. Dropping down to one knee behind the stump I use for splitting wood, I scan the wood for movement. In the mean time Jinn who never stopped moving comes out of the cabin on the front deck, her own bow ready, quiver, and my weapons harness swung across her shoulders, also scanning the woods. Seeing me kneeling down by the wood pile, she vaults down to end up beside me. At which time another arrow skims from the brush, which having plenty of time to do, I grab it with my power, and send it straight back along it's original trajectory, enhancing it's speed a bit. I am rewarded with a painful yell from the brush. Damn that never gets old. This wasn't the first time I chased a bunch of elves out of the valley, and considering how the local creatures treated them, I am surprised that they keep coming back.

"Come on", Jinn says firmly, "we can't loose them, they shot Bear".

Donning my web gear, vest, and slinging a small pack I had made up for a barbecue we were going to have when I picked up Jinn in the high valley, over my shoulder, I look at the sky.

"Damn it looks like snow. Nothing to be done for it lets go." Then the chase begins.

Running full tilt up a trail after a fleeing armed enemy is a recipe for ambush, so Jinn and I set out on a slightly skewed course, that was intended to end up intercepting the trail higher up, and running a parallel course with plenty of cover and places to go to ground.

"We got to catch these assholes", Jinn whispers.

"How bad was the bear"?

"He rushed them when they popped up around me, slaughtered one, and then they hit him with a couple of arrows".

"That stopped him", I said incredulously. There is no way an arrow or even a hundred was going to drop a grizzly bear that big. Hell he would probably eat several large caliber hunting rounds, and still track you down and decimate your home town.

"He dropped like a stone".

"Magic or poison then, fuckers! They were trying to capture you".

"Why"?

Why indeed. The valley was governed by several special rules. An agreement between the were- wolverine wizard, the spirit animals of the mountains, and supposedly all the groups that had signed something called the Accords. One of the rules was that hunting was allowed, but no modern weapons could be used, no guns, crossbows, or compound bows allowed. Recurve and long bows were ok, and no magic or chemicals were allowed.

All this had worked out, as most people have better sense then to meet these animals in one on one combat, but I had buried a few. Hell, even the squirrels here could be real bastards, and don't get me started on those evil chipmunks!

I doubted that they had killed the bear, as their boss would have their guts for garters if they broke an agreement. They may had come up with a loophole but I doubted it. Passing my logic on to Jinn, we decided on crossing directly across to Bear's meadow, and skip the trail, maybe set an ambush of our own. At our rate of travel, we should reach it just about dark, never a good time to try to make one's way through a forest. Also taking into account that elves have better night vision then us mortals, although Jinn's was much better then theirs (part vampire). We might surprise them with that.

This is probably a good time to talk about my lady Jinn, and her weird heritage. Jinn's mother, who was human, was pregnant with a half-elf child, when she was turned by a Red Court Vampire. Jinn's mother got a demon, and her unborn child which some how survived, got its own little demon. Jinn was suckled on blood, and developed vampire powers, but never completed the process by killing a mortal. Jinn has told me that I saved her, but it's one of those things in my past I don't remember. All I do remember is when I finally became conscience in the hospital after my terrible wounding, she was there at my bedside, and at my side ever since.

Things had gone like that and Jinn had always been a very quiet person, absolutely vicious when it came to vampires. Then a year or two back something had happened. One night she had just fallen to the floor in a gran mal seizure, eyes rolled up in her head. At some point all I could do was hold her, and it felt as if she had died. Then she started to vomit up what seems like gallons of a black mucus fluid. Over and over she shuddered, and when it was over, she again fell unconscious. I held her through that long night, not sleeping, but in a trance state. If she died, I would soon follow. I'd set fire to the cabin, and we would be cremated together. Then at some point I did go to sleep.

I woke the next morning, as if from a bad dream, feeling a gentle hand stroking my cheek. I opened my eyes to a smiling Jinn, her grass green eyes the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. We didn't know until later what had happened that night, but Jinn had changed, no longer dark, a new light in her. I still remember her dancing in the snow on the front deck that morning, naked as a jaybird. Wonders!

Back on the trail of our elicit guests, we moved smoothly through the well know paths. Not talking, communicating with hand signals, we reached the valley, and stopping in some thick goose berry bushes, we observed the valley. The bear was not in the spot where it had fallen, so we tracked it up to the cave where it usually wintered. Jinn entered cautiously as I covered the entrance. After several minutes she returned and motioned for me to enter. Inside I found the bear curled up in the straw that Jinn had made me haul up to make a nest for the beast and there for all appearances it seemed to be hibernating as it should naturally be doing at this time of year. Its sleep was so deep, that it didn't even stir as we removed the two arrows from it, and as from Jinn's description they were indeed just flesh wounds. Yet both arrowheads were covered by some clear sticky substance, that smelled appalling, and made the hair go up on the back of my neck. Definitely magic. Going back to the cave entrance we found night had fallen.

"We're going to need to make a fire". Jinn said, and she was correct. Caught in the mountains at night the first thing you had better do is get a fire going. The winters here were usually harsh, and freezing to death is quite easy to do.

"Just a small one, back from the entrance. I can't see my hand in front of my face, so your going to have to get the fire wood". I said with a little grin on my face.

"That's rather convenient".

"Hey, you made me haul those straw bales up here, better get started."

Luckily there was plenty of wood just outside the cave entrance, which I chopped up with a hatchet I had in the pack, and got a small smokeless fire going. Wrapping up in a couple of survival blankets from the pack, and comfortably leaning back against the huge sleeping bear, we were quite toasty.

"One us us is going to have to stay awake to keep watch". I said.

"Oh, and I suppose that since You don't see to well in the dark, it logically has to be me".

"I didn't say that, but you know. When your right your right". From the entrance of the cave we hear a furtive sound, and a small bark. Around the bend comes a grey wolf, which eyes us for a moment them moves back out the entrance.

"I think we got our watch". Jinn says, and with that we snuggle against the bear and fall asleep.

 **Chapter Two**

The next morning dawned cold, and I mean freeze your nose hairs cold. Yesterdays promised snow was falling as well, but it was weird. It wasn't the normally big wet flakes, but a fine powdery snow, the flakes almost silver looking. It impeded our sight at about 50 yards out, not good.

We stirred up the coals and made some coffee over the fire. Munching on some high energy bars we had stored in the pack until the coffee was hot. Sipping coffee until the sun was as fully up as it would most likely get. Making sure our canteens were full of melted snow, we put out the fire.

Moving out to the perimeter of the valley we circled slowly looking for tracks, being especially caution at the beginning of a trail that we knew to the most active part of the mountains where portals could be created, at some times of the year with practically nothing but an errant sneeze.

"Jinn I think these guys might have taken off after missing you", I ventured. "Just saying so far these guys are zero and one with regards to this game, maybe they'll run and cut their losses."

"I don't think so Talon. These guys didn't chase me all the way from the valley, I 'm way fasted then them on our home turf. They had another one midway up the trail to keep me moving."

"Stupid to let you get to the cabin where I could get a crack at them, they may not know exactly what I can do, but the way I handed them their asses the last time they screwed with us, I think they would be way more cautious. Try to catch me by surprise."

"Trap"?

"Yup, trap. They want us alive for something. This weather is keeping the birds and squirrels hunkered down as well, they know they would warn us. They definitely are smarter then to let us get together, and pool our resources. They want us to follow them".

"Then we follow them, they may not have meant to hurt Bear, but we can't let them think they can get away with shit like that. We got to be smart though, if they have something that can mess with the weather, that's major league."

Elves are sneaky bastards, but no one can move through an old growth forest without leaving something that a skilled tracker can find and follow, and I happen to be really good at it. Even though I don't know how that happened.

Moving parallel to the trail, we moved cautiously, making as little noise as possible. At every possible ambush site, we moved especially cautiously, weapons ready, to either fade back or go through any ambush sprung. The tracks indicated that our quarry was moving steadily, a destination in mind. Maybe we wouldn't get a chance to sting them a bit, which at this point was fine if they left, but we had to know they had gone. We would just have to be more cautious if the future and catch them next time, even though that thought really frosts my ass.

A mile or more down the trail it turns and goes along the side of a ravine that a mountain stream had cut through the mountain, sheer the walls drop over a 100 feet to unforgiving stone at the bottom. I don't like this part of the trail because it limits one's movement. The ravine was way to far to jump, but with my talent I was sure I could get Jinn across, if we got pinned against it. On the other hand, the tracks were getting fresh enough that if we hurried up a bit we may pin them against the ravine, see how far they could jump. Six of one half dozen of another. Calling Jinn up I explained my thinking in whispers.

"Lets try and trap them", Jinn whispered back.

"More up about 20 yards and move along this line". I gestured a direction that headed towards the ravine. "But keep me in sight, don't go fucking running off, and if I gesture to fall back head straight back towards me, I'll cover you. OK"?

"Got it boss", she grins, puts her hand on the back of my head and pulls me in for a bruising kiss. "Fuck em up"!

Jinn moved up to her position, and I drew my Colts making sure the safeties were off. Motioning forward we came through the trees, no elves, damn missed them, then I see Jinn twist and release an arrow up the trail a bit further on, and I just catch just a glimpse of an elf taking a composite arrow, with a titanium broad head right in the center of his back. Elven armor isn't going to stop that arrow, especially from Jinn's 150lb recurve bow. Suddenly the sky open's up in a sudden snow flurry, and an arrow launched further on from where I can see just misses Jinn. I get just a glimpse of a couple of elves drawing back from my position.

"Jinn, BACK", I yell, but she's already lost in the hunt. Damn It!

In the case of ambush, you can either fade back and hit them from your own ambush as they chase you, or you can go through the ambush. Pounding up the trail, ready to put a bullet into the next elf I see, I've lost sight of Jinn so can't lay down a cover fire with out maybe hitting her. Speed is of the essence, I more forward and the snow has progressed to sheer white out conditions, visibility about a foot. Moving forward some instinct makes me not take the next step, which is really good as some how I've gotten turned around and am about to take a step into the abyss.

"Jinn", I shout, willing to risk an arrow on my Kevlar, since the visibility was so bad I wouldn't see it coming, of course they'd be shooting at sound.

"Here", I hear Jinn, a yard or two further along the lip of the ravine.

Moving to her, she's kneeling on the ground, bow drawn pointing out into the white. As I reach her I hear a roar of wind and an elf steps out of the suddenly clearing snow, arms out stretched. The wind he generates throws us both from the cliff, but not soon enough for Jinn not to put an arrow right in elf's chest. Off to the left looking out were the other two grinning as we go over, a shot from each pistol and both their heads dissolve into bloody chunks. When they got you by the balls, chop their hand off.

Grabbing Jinn with my power I push her up decelerating her, me no such luck, I can't effect myself, she'll survive. Maybe if I go really limp, maybe I'll bounce a bit better. Keeping Jinn in my sight, I'm suddenly surrounded by a flash of light and I loose her in the light. Must be the previews of my life starting, but why is the sky so blue, and suddenly Jinn reappears and lands on top of me. I also notice I am no longer falling, and lying on my back in the middle of a green hay field. The sky is unbearably blue, and the sun is shining brightly down upon us. A portal, they pushed us through a portal, making me almost sorry I'd shot them, almost. Jinn and I were in the Nevermore!

 **Chapter Three**

Over to the side of the hay field is a huge tree, low hanging like in the swamps of the south, with streamers of moss hanging down in such a way the the was a space of deep shadow, suspiciously so. We approached cautiously, and as we got nearer we saw a bench seat, with what appeared to be an old lady seated upon it. It was hard to tell for sure as she was all rapped up in a black cloak that seemed to suck in the light.

"Excuse me ma'am", I asked politely. It never hurts to be polite. She doesn't respond so we walk closer and I repeat the question.

"Are you talking to me young man", she enquires lightly.

"Yes Ma'am".

"Come closer young man, I can hardly hear you". We walked closer until we came right up to the point where a line seemed to be drawn between light and deepest shadow. A brief flash of insight made me think that stepping into that shadow would really be a bad idea.

"Can you hear me now Ma'am"? I asked a bit loudly, and in a flash the old lady was no more than inches from me, still behind the line of shadow. Give me credit though, I didn't flinch, nor move back. Steady as a rock, or at least mostly.

"Are you afraid of my shadow young man"? She asks chillingly.

"Why yes, yes I am Grandma".

"Wise, oh yes, and cautious. Do you know who I am"?

"I have a pretty good idea Ma'am we have no wish to intrude upon you, and with your permission, we'll be on our way".

"Intrude you already have, but it may not have to be an unpleasant intrusion. What do you seek"?

"We're just trying to return home", Jinn says. Mother Winter shifts her attention to her, and in the same unnerving fashion has moved until she is practically toe to toe with Jinn.

"Oh my what have we here? Pretty, pretty, predator. Oh lovely, but something has left. Dead and gone. You no longer smell of carrion beast. You father will be so proud."

"My father, wwwhat are you talking about"? Sputters Jinn reaching out, then at the last second stopping herself before she touches Mother Winter. Hands hovering helplessly. Mother Winter stands with one raised eyebrow before her with a slight grin on her face.

"Wise, little one, but it is not for I to give you this secret, unless you wish to hear my price"? I quickly step forward putting one arm around her waste.

"Azure", I whisper into her ear, and although I am not strong enough to move her if she doesn't want to be moved, she moved back with me. Azure was our safe word, I am almost embarrassed to say, mostly for my protection, for when we were doing things of a, well a physical nature, and it told her she was hurting me.

"No, no bargains". I said, putting a little of the old command voice in my tone.

"But Talon, she knows", she whispers.

"No bargains with fairies Sweet, I have a feeling that we'll find out in our own good time".

"Curious, and curiouser", cackled Mother Winter. "Mmmmm there is something delicious about you, what are you carrying"?

"Do you mean this"? I asked holding out the backpack. "Just some elk meat".

"Who killed it ", asked the crone.

"I did", replied Jinn.

"But how did you kill it"?

"I ended its life before it even knew it was in peril".

"Your sire was certainly from winter child you know winter is not always cruel".

"I learned that from Navy SEALs".

"You learned this from a sea creature?"

Getting way to weird here. "Would you like it ma'am, we have plenty back home".

"And what would you like in return child".

"Nothing, it is a gift out of respect to an elder", replied Jinn.

"Very polite this one". Another voice from the darkness came. Seemly a younger lady, with melodic voice that you just know comes from a stunner.

"Even though never properly schooled, she has good instincts".

"And who might you be,", I asked already dreading the answer.

"I am Mab,".

Shit, shit, shit! The hair on the back of my head bristled in fear. Talk about out of the frying pan into the fire, how about leaping head first into a blast furnace. This was The Mab, the Queen of the fairies, and dammed if we weren't' screwed.

She comes strolling out of the darkness like some sexual fever dream, but rather then feel desire, I felt only fear. Even Jinn could feel it, as she comes to my side and takes my arm.

"Come inside we have something to discuss, an opportunity as it were".

"We really should be getting back home", I said hoping we could back far enough away from her so we could make a break for it.

"If that is what you wish, go".

Looking around, I feel a sinking sensation as I realize that that as we have spoken, the shadow had circled us, and from all appearances were the border of nothing. Damn! This was all a set up to get us here.

"You tricked us here", Jinn blurts out.

"Is that what I did"? Mab says calmly, raising one eyebrow slightly.

Damn, she must be part Vulcan, my mind somewhat irrelevantly spits out.

"You sent those elves to lure us to the portal. First they tried to capture me, then they, they shot my bear"! Jinn started low, and finished angrily.

"No they were sent to give you a cordial invitation to visit me here, and your animal attacked them. They only put it to sleep, it was not harmed". Mab says calmly.

"They chased me all the way to my home".

"They were trying to apologize, and give you my invitation".

"They shot arrows at us".

"Maybe they were a bit fervent in the discharge of their duties. How many did you kill?" Maab asks sweetly.

"Well all of them I think". I say cautiously. "I think I shot the last two as we fell through the gate".

Then you have done us both a favor. You have your recompense for their boorish behavior. Though it might be just a bit harsh, and you cleared my punishment for them as well. As I did not send them to specifically harm you, you have ridded me of some criminals, and protected your valley in the bargain. Your role as I understand it in life. I should think that makes us even."

Talk about hard core! Mab just casually sacrificed four of her subjects to get us here. Jinn and I trade worried glances.

"Come", she beckons, and she turns to head towards the small house that has appeared in the meadow.

I notice Mother Winter walking slowly, as if in pain, towards the house, and Jinn walks up to her and offers her an arm. Mother Winter for just a brief instant maybe seems a bit startled. For what seems like an eternity she looks thoughtfully at the offered help, and then gently takes it.

"Thank you child", she says softly, and for a moment I feel like something of import has happened, something historic, and powerful. I also notice Mab look back, and she looks for an instant as if surprised. She waits at the door, and allows Jinn and Mother Winter to enter first, and as I come abreast of her she whispers to me," No one has touched the mother for centuries".

"She is your Mother, and you never hug her", I ask.

Mab again seems startled," No never".

"How sad", I reply.

Mab looks at me thoughtfully for a moment, then as if making a decision says," no actually she usually kills those who touch her".

Once inside the cottage, (which is way larger on the inside), Jinn opens the pack and brings out the Elk meat inside it. Mother Winter motions her over to the table.

"Put it on the cutting board there dear". As Jinn places the meat on the board, Mother Winter shuffles over to the wall, where various utensils are neatly racked. Choosing a long wicked looking knife she turns deceptively slowly, and with a flip of her wrist the knife steaks straight at my face.

With raised eyebrows I slow the knife, and pluck it out of the air. "I think you may have dropped this ", I drawl and with a bit of will and send it to plunge quivering into the cutting board.

"Excellent", says Mab, slightly clapping her hands together.

"Not even a whisper of power, remarkable", opines Mother Winter.

"It's not magic", I say.

"No young man it isn't, you are a very rare beast, one not seen often".

"A mentalist", asks Mab?

"Indeed, one of such power as I have never seen. Oh this one has seen such lovely pain", replies Mother Winter.

"What are you talking about", asks Jinn as she comes to my side.

"He controls the things around him with his mind, I believe the word is telekinesis, just the merest hint of magic".

"He is sufficient to the task then" asks Mab?

"Oh yes", says Mother Winter. "He will come as quite a surprise."

"What in the hell are you talking about?" Getting a little annoyed over being talked about, as if I weren't there.

"I need one such as you to accompany me on a task, a small debt that I owe", replies Mab.

"Don't you have a mortal knight who is suppose to handle such things for you."

"Yes, but it is in a place where wizards are not allowed."

"Another world?"

"In a way, it is in Hawaii."

At the sound of the word Hawaii, Jinn became really interested, and even I perked up. A nice trip to some warm beaches, some tropical umbrella drinks, (with plenty of rum), and Jinn in a tiny string bikini. Sounds good, except.

"Wait a second, why are wizards not allowed there?" I asked Mab.

"Because the one who holds dominion there does not allow it. There is a huge nexus of power there, barely balanced. Anyone who tipped the balance the wrong way could cause enormous destruction, not only there but through out the mortal world."

"And you owe a debt to this person?"

"A small matter of honor."

"What then do I get out of this?"

Across the room Mother Winter cackled, "this one learns quickly."

"Besides your life and return to your lands, I would then owe you a small favor."

A small favor from a fairy queen was no small matter, but always fraught with peril. "And Jinn, will you return her home first?"

Jinn could stand it no longer, "If he goes to Hawaii, I go with him."

Mab raised an eyebrow at that, but replied. "As you wish, I may need a human guide for a time. It is decided, come," said Mab as she started towards the rough hewn door of the cottage. Jinn and I quickly followed.

As we left through the door, Jinn asked, "are you going to give us time to pack?"

"All will be provided," Mab replied, as we stepped onto the lanai of a large 5-star guest house, and looked out over the beautiful moon lit Hawaiian beach. "You have until morning to rest and compose yourself, then we must go and meet our host." Almost before Mab had stopped speaking, Jinn had vaulted the railing and a trail of clothes made a Bee line towards the beach. I guess we were going swimming.

 **Chapter 4.**

The sun rose on a glorious morning in Hawaii. Streaks of salmon and gold in the sky as the sun rose. Jinn and I woke up in a bed, curled together feeling the warmth of each other's bodies. The whole wall of the bedroom opened onto a lanai, which overlooked the ocean.

Thinking this might be the time for a bit of exercise, my musings were interrupted by a gorgeous young lady standing in the doorway. Another elf no doubt.

"The Queen has sent me to attend to your needs. In the closet here are clothes that will fit both you and your lady".

From beneath the covers came the voice of the coffee zombie Jinn, "Cooooffeeee".

"Breakfast will be served on the front veranda".

After a hot shower, and a quick shave we chose clothes for the day. For Jinn that meant a light flowered sundress, and sandals. For me a pair of cargo shorts, hiking boots, and a t-shirt.

Once dressed we moved out to the veranda to find a huge table covered in all the foods that could be considered for breakfast. The odor of bacon teased my senses, and both Jinn and I started loading up plates. At the head of the table sat Mab, back straight, wearing an outfit quite a bit like Jinn's, except instead of flowers, it was covered in an intricate snowflake pattern of silver and blues.

"Replete yourselves, we shall leave in one hour", says Mab and rises to leave the room. With no witnesses to our crimes, Jinn and I attack the buffet with a vengeance.

After a decent breakfast, Jinn and I strolled out to the front entrance of the estate to find Maab waiting patiently out front. Almost immediately a vehicle pulls into the driveway, and I looked at it in horror. I mean really, what kind of being paints a Jurassic Park emblem on a two hundred thousand dollar supercharged Range Rover. It's just sacrilege is what it is, and as I walk down from the porch I see it isn't even a good paint job.

"Will this transport suffice"? Asks the elf who has just driven up, and walks up to hand

me the keys.

"Are you kidding me", I ask incredulously?

"I've been told that this is a desirable vehicle".

"Well yes, but who told you to have it painted this way"?

"Using societal trends to camouflage our selves is something we have always done, and we heard from a local person that it looked, cool".

"Now I know where Disco came from", I mumble under my breath. "Sure this will do". "Where exactly are we going"?

"The coordinates are programmed into the navigation system. It is voice activated. Just say navigation, and when it asks for destination, say volcano."

Once on the road, we drove South on Mamalahoa Highway, ask your GPS to say that, until we rounded the island and headed North again. I was driving casually, and Maab in the back seat didn't seem to be in any great hurry. When we saw on the map the black sand beach, Jinn petitioned Mab, and too my surprise Mab allowed us to take a slight detour to visit. More then that, in the back of the Land Rover was a basket and cooler that contained all sorts of goodies, so feeling hungry, we had a picnic. Even Mab seemed, well if not happy, at least not murderous. Jinn asked when we had to get to our destination, and Mab answered full night, so we had a little time to kill.

Jinn decided to take a bit of a swim, and Mab seemed disinclined to join her. So while Jinn frolicked in the waves, I was left with Mab comfortably sitting on a blanket on the shore.

It seemed like a good time to get some answers.

"So what is really going on here", I asked. Mab turned slightly towards me said nothing. "You know I don't believe for an instant that I just happened to end up out side your door, or that you just happened to be there. I know you wanted me in particular. Care to tell me why"?

"Mortal, it was not I who chose you, but the one we will meet. She asked that I bring you in particular".

"Why"?

"She did not say fully, but she did say it was about memories".

"Memories? That's just confusing".

"She wishes for you to travel with her".

"Then why didn't she come to ask me herself"?

"That is why I am here. She cannot leave the Islands unless there is some one here of great power to hold her place, so to speak".

"She is as powerful as you"?

"In many ways more so, but of limited scope".

"So why would you hold her coat as she goes about this business"?

"That mortal is not your concern", Mab replies coldly.

"Then who is this being that you have brought me to see"?

"She is known as Pele, Goddess of Fire and Lightning. Call your partner from the sea, it is time for us to depart."

Getting up from the blanket I walk down to the waters edge to call Jinn in, not at all surprised to see her being towed by what seems to be a large shark.

Continuing our journey up the Mamalahoa, we come at last to the Volcanoes National park. The sun is setting in the west, as we drive up Crater Rim Drive, and reach the visitors center. The rangers are busily getting ready to close the park, but on seeing our Land Rover, they wave us on to go to the lookout, where all the visitors have already left.

Once parked, Maab gets out of the vehicle, and starts walking out into the lava fields, headed towards the smoking volcano, with Jinn and I following a little behind. Out towards Kilauea we can see a red glow that intensifies the closer we get. Then with no warning at all about 25 yards ahead of us, a crack opens and a stream of lava about a foot across comes spewing up into the air to the height of about 25feet. It stays formed into column, the falls splashing to reveal a tall beautiful woman.

Pele Goddess of fire has hair that starts a golden blond, and gradually turns to deep red, as if her head is on fire. Around six feet tall, her features are pure Polynesian. Her eyes are a deep red, and beautiful full lips, that look like a recurved bow. She stands before us draped in fire. She slowly approaches, and walks right up to stand before Mab. Then the most surprising thing happens. They embrace, and kissing each other on the cheek.

Pele draws back and says. "Aloha Little sister, I am so happy to see you". Her voice warm, a beautiful deep feminine voice.

"I am here", says Mab, "and have brought the one that you asked for."

Releasing Mab, Pele turns to me, slowly walking up to and around me. "So this is the one that has caused so much distraction to the Walker".

Maab also walks over to me. "He has no memories of those actions, his mind most likely blocking them".

"He has no magic"?

"No magic, but a talent, one most dangerous".

"Enough to banish a walker".

"When coupled with mortal weapons, possibly, some of them are very effective".

At this I had had enough. "Ah excuse me, but I am standing right hear"!

"Interesting, says Pele, he is quite loud for someone standing so close to death". At that I get goose bumps, which really starts to piss me off.

"Come on Jinn, we're out of here", I say and start to walk back to the car, only to find Pele standing in my way.

"Do you really wish to die"?

"Ma'am, you can do what you wish, but I am not some kind of pawn you just get to push around, my own people tried to use me, practically got me killed. Decided the next time someone tried to tie me up, they could just, Kiss My Ass"!

"I have been working with my newest knight, who is aggravatingly independent. He is much like that one. So assuredly he most likely means it". Says Mab conversationally.

"So how do I motivate one such as this".

"First you talk to me, and tell me what exactly you want me to do, and what I get out of this", I say.

Pele looks strangely at Mab. "My task was to bring him before you, it had nothing to do with actually getting him to agree to it, that you must do on your own Pele" says Mab. "I suggest you tell him the truth".

As this point Jinn had had enough. My lady, who is not the calmest of people in the best of circumstances, really really becomes annoyed when some one threatens me.

"Listen bitch, you need to step the fuck back from my man, or we are going to have some problems"! I can tell from her stance, she's about ready to swing, and as entertaining as a cat fight between two scantily clad ladies is to me. I am pretty sure that Jinn and I would not survive it. When Pele does something unexpected, and begins to laugh beautifully.

"Did you enjoy your swim with Kamohoalii today"?

"Kamo-who"?

"The shark, he is my brother".

"Yes, but", Jinn says confused.

"Ok, wait let's start all over again". I say hoping to defuse the situation.

"Then sit manling, and I will tell you what is required". Pele still smiling gestures to the ground." I wish for you to travel with me to collect something that was stolen from one of my brothers, Stone of the Sun."

"What was stolen"? I ask.

"Power", says Pele. "While he slept one came and stole some of his power. It annoyed him and could make him awaken. Which could be very bad for your people".

"Bad for us how"?

"He is one of the largest of those you call volcano's. Do you not know of him? He lives very close to where you dwell in the Eldest Valley".

I start flogging my brain. Stone of the Sun doesn't sound familiar, then it comes to me. A national park we had visited, and an old ranger explaining to us how this area is the greatest super-volcano in the world. Oh hell, Yellowstone!

"Ok, got that, and yes that would be very bad. Next question. Why me?"

"It has asked for you".

"Again why"?

"At some time you banished it from your world, it is very angry."

"So you're going to trade me for this power back, is that right"?

"That is exactly right. You were right Mab, they can be spoken too", Pele beamed.

"Except one thing carrot top, he isn't going," says Jinn.

"I have explained the matter to him, he would save millions of lives, why would he not? Mab did you misjudge this one"?

Mab who had been standing quietly in the back ground steps over to us and looks down on me. "Talon, I had similar words with my knight recently when I had to loan him to someone loathsome. This thing will never keep its word, and when it doesn't" …

"I WILL DESTROY IT", says Pele interrupting loudly. "I do not pay off things that have stolen from me, not now, not ever, but we must return this power to this world".

"I'm going", says Jinn flatly.

"You cannot", says Pele, not unkindly. "You could be corrupted by this thing".

"And Talon and you"?

"The manling cannot because he has banished this thing before, it cannot touch him, and as for me I am PELE."

"I don't care I'm coming", says Jinn in her uncompromising voice.

"Would you come back to kill your own man girl, kill everything you love, be chained and a slave in your own body for all eternity"? Pele asks chillingly.

"Jinn", Mab says. "The words she speaks are true. Your elven heritage makes you particularly vulnerable. May of my own, including one most high have been polluted in my own court, and only one had the strength to be saved. You must stay".

Moving to Jinn I enfolded her in an embrace, holding her head against me chest. "Baby, I can't let you take that chance".

Jinn sniffles a bit and looks up to me with tears in her eyes. "You have already decided, haven't you"?

"Ain't no body else baby."

"Your going to kill this mother fucker".

"Yes dear".

"You're not going to get all screwed up".

"Yes dear".

"And then your going to come home and screw me for a week".

"Yes dear", I said slightly laughing.

"Than MAN UP, and quit blubbering on me", gently kissing me. Jinn wipes her eyes on my shirt. She Hates it when I see her cry.

 **Chapter 5**

At this point in time I am really unhappy that Pele and Talon are off traipsing around together on some secret mission, but damn that man can be stubborn. Here I am on the top of a mountain with probably the most frightening creature I have ever been with. I am not really a scenery girl, and I'm trying not to fidget. Looking over at my current companion I'm wondering whether or not we're just going to wait on the top here until Talon gets back. Then I notice Mab is watching me! If you have ever been to a zoo that has a big cat exhibit, and have ever noticed one of the big cats looking at you in that way, it can be frightening. Mab has the look of a predator, constantly calculating, constantly thinking, a perfect gestalt of knowing exactly where one is, all that is about one, and what your fate will be. It can be frightening to be observed like that, and for me it was no exception. Almost without thinking I started to back away when Mab spoke.

"This place will be quiet enough for a time. Come girl, I have some other business to attend to while I am in this place". Mab turned and began to walk. "Hurry girl, it is this way".

I quickly follow after her, then notices something. "Your Majesty, I think the car is the other way".

Then we no discernable transition, we are standing in a graveyard, an old graveyard, in the middle of a city. "Of course it is, and call me Mab".

Outside the gate of the graveyard a Taxi passes by, and it's labeling tells me where we are, 'Honolulu Cab Company'. At least we didn't end up in Arctis Tor. It is an old graveyard, with many of the headstones broken or illegible, but Mab seems to know one. As she stands before it, a spirit appears. A lady in white, with what appears to be wounds at her wrists. If they converse I cannot hear it, either because I cannot sense it, or because I am standing as far away from this weirdness as I can, with out actually being on another island. After a time, they nod at either other, as if in agreement, and them Mab turns away to start walking towards the entrance gate. She walks right out the gate and into the street, almost as though she is unaware of her surroundings. Damn it it she gets hit by a car, I know I'm going to get blamed for it, but I needn't have worried, the cars passed through her as if she were smoke, and they didn't see her. Of course that left me dodging cars. With one guy yelling "Yo fukkah, get out of da road". We both made it safely across, and find ourselves in front of a hospital. As we start to pass by, a young dark haired Asian nurse comes running out towards us.

"Oh thank goodness your here", she says excitable. "There isn't much time", and she reaches for Mab's hand. Mab gestures slightly and the nurse just stops, stepping back and quivering.

"What is this meaning of this mortal"? Mab speaks in a surprising neutral tone. The nurse seems to regain some movement, and speaks.

"Aren't you from the Fulfill a Wish Foundation"? Mab cocks her head slightly as if not understanding the question. "Aren't you the actor who plays the princess from the movie Freezing. You're the only one she wanted to see before…."

"Before what", I ask?

"Before she dies! You must hurry it may already be to late". She turns, heading back into the hospital, making hurry up gestures.

"Jinn, what is this strange creature talking about"?

"This Fulfill a Wish thing grants sick and dying children a wish. Mostly they want to meet famous people. This child apparently wants to meet a fictional Princess from children's movie. The Winter Princess."

Mab stood for a second, taping her lips with a long finger nail. "I am intrigued. Mortal lead on."

The nurse leads us through the hall, past admissions, and into the elevator. As we pass all eyes follow us. Did I fail to say Mab is gorgeous, and the tight dress, and high heels she's wearing really make here ass look great. Mab seems unaware of their looks, but as the elevator door closes, she looks at me and winks. No way, isn't possible.

We exit the elevator and walk down the hall to a small room.

"Right in here", Says the nurse opening the door. Through the door we see what looks like a movie poster of a tall beautiful white haired woman in a long flowing ice blue gown. With out any warning at all Maab is wearing a duplicate of the gown. Well except the gown Mab is wearing makes the one in the photo look like a Barbie dress, and Mab's was a Versace.

Mab walks into the room, then turns to the nurse. "Be gone", and the nurse without a word turns and starts walking down the hall.

I hate the smell of hospital rooms. Though I have never needed to stay in one, I have the memory of being in Talon's rooms after his horrendous wounding. Between worrying about my partner dying, and the bloodlust of my once vampire condition. It was horrible, except for the Jell-O, I like Jell-O.

This room was no different. Slightly too cold, with the air having had every ounce of life and hope sucked from it. In the bed lie a little girl, eyes closed, barely breathing, white blond hair, and skinny. I would place her age at around 5, but it was hard to tell because of her illness.

Mab walked to the bed, and looked down. No readable expression on her face. A person I assume to be a doctor, because he was wearing a stethoscope around his neck, comes in the room to the other side of the bed, and starts doing doctor things, like check for a pulse, and feel her forehead.

"She is dying", says Mab, a statement, not a question.

"A very unusual case", says the doctor, misinterpreting Mab's statement for a question. "She is an orphan, and recently just started to waste away. We cannot find any cause, there is no cancer, no disease, and no poison. A pity she won't be awake to see you, that silly movie is all she talked about."

Mab doesn't say anything, but gently takes the little girl's hand. A slight shudder goes through the little girl, and she opens her beautiful brown eyes. As Maab releases her hand I notice a small ring around the girl's pinky finger. A beautiful and intricate little silver snowflake, with a small blue stone.

"Oh, you came", says the the girl in a sleepy little voice.

The Doctor looks surprised to see the girl awake. "How are you feeling"? He asks, but the girl only has eyes for Mab.

"You're not the winter princess", sadly the little girl notes.

"Indeed I am not child. I am the Winter Queen." Says Mab not unkindly. "The Winter Lady has other duties to fulfill, so will not be here".

"The Queen? Do I call you your Majesty"?

"No little one you may call me Mab".

"Well thank you for coming to see me. Gosh you are so beautiful. Are you angry?"

"Why would you say that child"?

"You don't look happy, are you mad at me"?

"Of course not. Now little one what would you have of me"?

"Could you sing a song for me"?

"Little one I'm afraid my voice is not very good for singing. What else would you have"?

"There is one thing, but I'm afraid that we can't do it".

"And what is that child".

"I would love to see the lights".

"The Lights?" Mab looks to the Doctor. "What is this lights that she speaks of"?

"Oh the Lights of Honolulu. Every year downtown they put up a bunch of Christmas displays. All lit with lights, but I'm afraid she is far to sick to go there," says the Doctor sadly.

"But I feel much better! Please?"

Mab stands lightly tapping her lips with here index finger, and seems to come to a decision. "Remove these things form her arms". She gestures at the I.V. lines.

"But Ma'am", the Doctor starts to protest.

"I said, REMOVE THEM"!

The Doctor suddenly seems glassy eyed, but starts to remove the tubes.

"Are we going to go," asks the little girl excitably.

"Of course we are", replies Mab, and reaches down to help the little girl to set up in the bed. The girl swings her legs over the edge of the bed, and with my help she stands on the floor. For a moment, standing on her own two feet, in her hospital gown, she smiles wondrously.

"Oh I haven't been able to stand for so long"!

The Doctor at this point has backed away to stand with his back to the the windows, at the far side of the room.

"Oh but this won't do"! Mab says sternly. "Not at all".

The little girl looks frightened. "Please, please don't put me back in the bed", she pleads.

"Of course not", says Mab. "It's your clothes, they will never do", and with that the little girl is suddenly in the garb of a fairy tale princess, except for I'm pretty sure the stones in the tiara are priceless diamonds.

The little girl holds her hands out and whirls around delightedly. "Oh I have never worn anything so pretty."

"Let us depart this place". Mab reaches down and takes the girl's hand. "I am curious to see these lights".

"Wwwwwho, are you", the doctor stammers in fear.

"Have you not been listening mortal, I am Mab".

On the sidewalk outside the hospital, we stop, and Mab stands slightly tapping the toes of one shoe. "Where do we find these lights girl"?

"I don't know Mab, let me flag down a taxi, the driver will know".

"No, no a Taxi will not do", and from down the street I hear Christmas music.

Not your cheesy canned kind, but sounding almost as if a real orchestra is playing. The up the street comes an apparition. It is one of those tourist buses that have been build to look like a trolley car. It drives right up in front of us and stops. From it a jolly voice sounds.

"My Lady are you in need of some conveyance," It booms into the night, and a huge man steps from the trolley, all dressed in red and white. A Santa costume, except I'm pretty sure the Santa doesn't wear chain mail, of have a huge sword swinging from his belt.

"Santa Claus", the little girl says reverently, and the huge man reaches down and sweeps her up into a huge bear hug.

"Call me Kringle", he says laughing heartily. "Come on up you go", and he places her on the trolley.

"My Queen", he says, bowing to Mab. "Where would you like me to take you"?

"We go to see the festive lights", replies Mab.

"Very well my Queen", and he hands Mab into the trolley. "And who are you", he says to me in a friendly manner.

"I am called Jinn".

"Well Lady Jinn, you may call me Kringle. I have heard of the lady of the forest who likes to hand out drubbings to snotty little elf lords, but none spoke of your beauty." Kringle bows taking my hand and lying a small kiss to my palm. Who have thought Santa Clause was such a lady's man. "We should go hunting some time".

"I'm pretty sure my boy friend would like that".

With a disarming grin, "pity".

Seriously did I just get hit on by Santa Clause? "We had better get going".

"Well get on board, what are you waiting for" Kringle says mockingly, and I'm sure he's looking at my butt as I climb the stairs. I turn and catch him at it, and his grin turns into a full fledged smile.

Kringle didn't really seem to be driving the trolley, it seemed to know where it was going, and traffic seemed to just get out of it's way. When reached the area where the displays were set, there just seemed to be a parking space big enough for the trolley and it swung smoothly in. Once dismounting we walked among the light displays, and the child walked hand in hand with Mab, and they seemed to be conversing, though I couldn't hear their conversation, the girl seemed delighted.

Kringle walked with us like some Santa body guard, when it became apparent that a small crowd of children was following him. For a moment I saw something in his expression that mirrored extreme sadness. He saw me watching then turned away. For a moment he stood shoulders bowed, then he came to some kind of decision, and went down to one knee. Letting out with one of his trade mark, Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas, he gestured to the following children, and they gathered all around him. He was speaking to them and touching their heads in gentle blessing like gestures, some a gentle hug, a faint light emanating from him. The light also fell on the parents, and for some you could see husband and wife, look at one another as if awakening from a dream, as their children returned they would embrace, and you could tell that their life's had been changed. All who stood in that glow seemed lightened.

Tears welling in my eyes, I turned away to see Mab and the little girl setting on a park bench. As I moved to join them, I started to hear Maab say".

"So little one, has your wishes been fulfilled? It may not be a white Christmas, but the lights are pretty as such".

"I have never seen snow auntie, what is it like".

"You have never seen snow? How is that possible?"

"I was born here in Hawaii, we do not have winter".

"Hmmmmm, would you like to know what snow is like?

Oh No! "Mab," I said "Mab maybe we should….", but I never had the chance to finish.

"Yes Auntie, yes please", and with that Mab stood and raised one hand.

The night was warm, comfortable for skirts and tank tops, then it changed. First was soft puffs of air, like when a door is opened to an air conditioned room, but the air was sweet. Like the air around a waterfall a charge seemed to build up an enervating feeling, and the temperature began to drop. Then with out warning it began to snow! Huge wet flakes came down, little swirls of air making it seem to dance.

Now I am half elf, and I can feel magic. I have felt winter magic before, and this was something entirely different. Around us the usual city noises ceased. Drivers in the street, as if one, stopped and stepped out of their cars. Those in the park stopped and looked up with a strange joy in their faces, and as if protecting itself from disclosure, cell phones and digital cameras all shut down and wouldn't operate. I made my way over to see the little girl looking up in wonder and glee. Getting off the bench she began to dance in the snow, twirling around, the snow swirling about her as if in sync with her movements. Maab lowered her hand, and upon her face was a smile, not the predatory one, but something gentler and beautiful. Her face seemed to have filled out, not so hard and cold, a warm beauty of hope.

"That child, is snow", said Mab. The only time I could ever accuse her of understatement.

For the next hour or so the snow continued to fall, and children played in it. An army of snow men were constructed, and thousands of snow balls thrown in good natured battle. Kringle was in the midst of one of these battles, with a large group of children, and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. The little girl and I joined the battle, with her triumphantly dropping a large snowball down the back of Kringle's jacket, making him dance around to rid himself of the cold, (the big ham), and then chase her about to get even while everyone else pelted him with snowballs. He ended up catching her in another of those big bear hugs, and placing her up upon his shoulder, we went to rejoin Mab, who was still standing in the same spot where it had begun. Maab was looking out over the chaos, and while not really showing it I seemed to sense her approval.

Upon Kringle's shoulder the little girl was starting to droop, and he carefully brought her down and deposited her into my arm. "Are you ok ", I asked, but even though she answered in the affirmative, it was clear that her strength was almost gone. "We should be getting her back to the hospital."

Mab came over, and lifted the girls tiny hand upon which had been placed the ring. The blue stone on it that had originally been flashing blue light, was almost dark now. "Yes it is time we return".

On the trip back, Kringle drove, and I sat with the girl cradled in my arms just behind him, Mab had made her way to the very back bench seat, and set by herself looking out the back seemly in thought.

"Kringle, can I ask you a question"?

"Yes Jinn I'll answer if I can."

"If you can"?

"There is some things we of fairy cannot talk about".

"Ok, so I know the power of winter, what the hell was that"?

"That"? Queried Kringle.

"Back there, what Mab did was not of winter".

"Yes Jinn it was, not much seen in this time of cell phones and computers, but old magic, elder magic from a time where life was simpler".

"And you"?

"Again, it has been a long time since the time where children actually believed in Santa Clause, and not Pac Man. I had a different role then".

"More powerful"?

"In some ways", he says sadly. "You know I had forgotten how much I missed the little ones". Where upon he turns from me the conversation is clearly over.

 **Chapter 6**

Stepping through a portal with Pele was an entirely different experience then on of Mab's. Through Mab's it felt like practically nothing, whereas Pele's was like surfing. Coming out of Pele's portal, one felt exhilarated like after having shot down white water rapids. Pele looked happy, but as I looked to see where we had ended up, my spirit shrank.

Jinn and I don't really like elves much, but there was one we both really liked. He was a wild fey, Black Berry by the name, and was incredibly old. He claimed to have been alive when the pyramids were built, and had placed the last grain of sand on top.

In his periodic trips about, he would stop in for a good drunk, and tell us tales of the fey, and other creatures of the Nevermore. It is from his story (that I had thought was a wild exaggeration), that I knew this place, and if anything he had understated this place.

A wall, no, more like 'THE WALL'. A huge structure at lest 500 feet tall, completely made of ice, and if his tale was true. There were millions of creatures constantly attacking and trying to break through, on the other side. Pele and I walked towards, and then I noticed something about myself. Somehow I had acquired full body armor, and BDUs. The Kevlar helmet on my head set with a familiarity of long wear. I stopped, and found my twin left, and right hand colts safely set in their holsters, the pockets of the vest filled with extra loaded magazines. My old boarding sabre safely sheathed in it's back sheath, cupped handgrip slightly over one shoulder. Pele looked at me and spoke.

"I have provided you the gear that would normally carry into battle, would you like something else"?

"No, thank you this will do fine".

As we approached the wall I see thousands of Winter elves in armor of hundreds of shades of blue and white. Many seated maintaining weapons, swords and lances predominantly, but in view I could see other weapons from every epoch in human history, from Roman gladius, to Barrett sniper rifle. When we came amongst then all fell silent, looking at the travelers in their midst.

Kind of made me nervous, but Pele walked through as if no one were there. She continued until we reached the wall, and started to climb up it on exterior stairways built on the wall. As we made our way up, anyone coming up or down stood aside and allowed us to pass without a sound. The climb wasn't particularly hard for me, as living in the high mountains had acclimated me to thin oxygen, and long climbs.

At the top of the wall, over the gate we met with a tall lanky gentleman completely swathed in a voluptuous black robe, his face hidden in shadow. Pele walks past him and he bows gracefully at the waist, without saying a word. She stops at the edge and looks out over the wastelands beyond. She stands silently for a moment then nods her head as if in agreement. Then turns to the tall dark man and says.

"Open the Gates".

"As you will my Lady", he says again bowing to Pele.

"Come manling, the place of our meeting is set". Pele begins the walk back down to the ground.

As I pass the robed man, he slowly pushes his hood back, and he slowly nods his head to me, a look of pity on his face. I'm really getting bored with all the solemnity, so instead I give him a wink and a big smile and say. "Nice robe dude".

He looks at me aghast, "Are you crazy"?

Well yes, yes I am considering what I had agreed to do, but I don't answer, just follow Mab down.

As we reach the huge gate, it ponderously opens, it must weigh tons, we pass through into the wasteland beyond. This wasteland is practically indescribable to someone who has never experienced the aftermath of battle. Bones, and I mean bones were literally scattered over every square inch of landscape, with the exception of paths cleared through the charnel.

Pele chose a path and on it we walked. Occasionally we would sort of blur, and find ourselves much further along than we had actually had walked. My mind was having trouble accepting the sheer horror that we passed, the blurring helped, until it was over. The only way I could describe the devastation was WWII trench warfare, that had lasted for hundreds of years, with no one removing the bodies of the slain.

For a time, we moved on, and I couldn't tell you how long. Hours? Days? Hard to say, this trip wasn't being conducted in time. Eventually we reached our destination, atop a small rise, the only placed of elevation in sight.

Pele stopped and spoke. "He Who Walks Below, I am here. Show yourself!" Her voice boomed out over the wasteland, as if from a huge loudspeaker. In the distance a huge cloud of dust formed, and began to move towards us, from all points of the compass. We're surrounded.

Of course some monstrous bastard isn't going to keep his word. As all around us figures began circling. Ten, twenty, thirty, butt tons. "I don't suppose you expected this"?

"Of course I did. That is why I brought you". Pele calmly says.

"But why me"?

"Because you are not a wizard".

Great! Pulling my colts, I opened fire in a fan shaped pattern, side, front, side, accelerating the bullets with everything I could so they blasted through the nightmares 9 or 10 deep at a time. There is just to damn many, time for a new tactic.

Spinning my two arms like a windmill, I grabbed the wind created, and spun it outward in a ring whirling around us. As it got faster, I reached for the bottom edge and spun it upward, and gave both axis a push. The created torus shape began picking up first small debris, then larger, like jagged bones and weapons. I grabbed those and accelerated them as well, so as the first of the creatures reached it, it tore them apart like a buzz saw, explosions of flesh and not blood which joined the circle. Wisely the next group stood back, waiting for me to weaken, suckers.

With the strength of my fear and anger. I flung the circle out wider, and massacred another group. The next group stood further back, and I felt myself start to weaken.

Then a small feminine set of hands reached around from my back, and I felt Pele embracing me from the rear. Her breath tickled my ear as she said, "here manling let me help", and the front of my chest started to feel like it was burning, right over my heart. The sensation, considering how angry I was becoming, felt almost good, and it started to travel from my chest to my arms, and somewhere in my brain something clicked, and I just knew how to grasp this new power.

Holding both arms straight out I pushed this new energy out as fire! Not the friendly fire of a campfire, or the destructive fire of forest, but as fire from the inner recesses of the Earth, implacable fire, that turns metals, and rocks into liquid. I added this to my ring, and with this new energy pushed my ring out again, flashing forward to annihilate another hundred or so of the nightmares, this time with the flames of Pele flashing everything to ash. At this point the few hundred or so who were left had had enough and started to run. "Not so fast assholes, I'm not done", and with a last heart tearing explosion of will, and a goodly bump from Pele, I flung the ring outward at about 150mph, and let go. Outward it continued, frying the last of the thing's troops, and traveling in an ever growing ring outward, for miles. Falling to my knees with black spots whirling in my vision, I felt Pele knee beside me panting harshly, but with still a bit of breath for a delighted giggle. "The gatekeeper is going to be angry if that makes it to the wall".

"Ya think"! I replied.

Then at the horizon a darkness grew. A single figure striding towards us, but it was as if I could smell him coming, the putrid scent getting stronger as it came forward. Made me glad to not have wizard sight as I really didn't want to see what this thing looked like. Beside me Pele was very still and I had to turn my head slightly to see if she was still conscious, and what I saw scared me a bit. Her head was lying against my arm and she felt so cool. Gently, I put my arm around her shoulders, and placed her to the ground. Then rocking forward, I came to my feet facing the approaching nightmare. I could feel my legs quivering, and reached up and draw my sword, bring it up into port arms, this fucker wasn't taking me with out a fight.

About 20 feet away the apparition stopped and looked down at us.

Pele says from her knees. "Walker I have brought the one you seek, surrender the power that you have stolen".

The Walker laughs hideously. "Ahhh little goddess, you cannot hurt me here, depart before I decide to play with you".

"You will not honor the bargain".

Again the Walker just laughs. "Well Talon, you don't look pleased to see me".

Its vile words seared into my brain, it awakened all the old fears. The sleepless nights filled with undefined night terrors. The sudden panic attacks caused by no foreseeable reason. The deep and soul destroying depression, that almost begged for me to stick my gun in my mouth and blow out my own brains to escape the pain, and something else. Quietly in the background stood a young man. Watching and studying the power that the demon was using to play with my brain. A young man I almost knew, someone I recognized.

Suddenly I was gone, and was standing on the middle of a bridge above a small river. I knew it's name, Marias. Leaning comfortably against an older model Mustang. The stars so bright, without a moon, that I could comfortably see. The air cool, a balm, without a breath of wind.

Before me a shadow formed, not frighteningly. "So is this heaven, or is this hell", I asked.

"What do you mean", replied the shadow pleasantly.

"I figure that big monstrous bastard killed me, so which is this heaven or hell"?

"Oh my god if you aren't the greatest straight man".

"What the hell are you talking about"?

"I got to do this, you'll understand in a moment, ask again".

"Ok is this heaven or is this hell"?

"Boy this is MONTANA, you aren't at the end of the world, but you can see it from here"! We both enjoy a few moments of quiet laughter.

"So I'm not dead"?

"No, but you're going to need something", and with this cryptic remark he held out his hand. In it was a small shining light, like a small LED devoid of battery or power supply. "Take

it".

As I took the light into my hand, it dissolved into my skin, and I could feel it creeping upward towards my head.

"This isn't going to be pleasant pilgrim", the shadow says in a passable John Wayne accent.

"What is it".

"Your pain".

The memories exploded into my head. Scenes of bloody war, of massacre and madness. Vampires decapitating their victims, children. Jinn and I, wading into them with machetes, and M-4s. Explosions and seemingly endless people trying to kill us. Friends dying around us and only we survived. Me firing a Barrett 50 caliber sniper rifle, over and over again blowing huge chunks out of a huge black figure coming towards me, Jinn lying bleeding at my feet.

"Die Fucker"!

Then at last a flash of black light, a huge explosion, then blackness.

"Do you understand now".

"Hell No. what is this shit".

"This is what you were made into".

"By who"?

"Sorry, too early, survive what comes next."

"I think I got this now".

Apparently while I was in my little fugue state, the monstrosity had just kept on talking. Bla, bla, bla, skin you alive, bla, bla, bla, kill everything you love, bla, bla, bla, destroy mankind. It went on so long that I was tapping my foot, and making the hurry it along gesture, when the walker finally sensed something wasn't right.

"You fucker! I know you." I said conversationally. "Why didn't you die?"

"One such as you cannot kill me only banish, you spoiled my plans human, you defied ME. For this you will pay, as your people shall one day".

"You know you outsiders should be really thankful that you have all these elves keeping us humans away from you pussies," I said. Beside me I hear Pele make some indeterminate sound.

"Human are you mad, thousands of you could die beneath the claws of one such as I"!

"You really haven't been paying attention to us then dumb ass. Do you think that you can do anything to us that we don't already do to ourselves? That's with what little restrain we have for our own humanity. With you bunch of horrors, we'll have no such compunction. For you we'll pull out all the stops, up to and including nuclear Armageddon, we'd burn the earth to a fucking cinder."

The Walker looked some what uncertain for a moment, "but not today Talon, today I eat your soul"

"Oh, SHUT UP", I said forcefully, throwing my arm forward with the sword. Releasing it I grabbed it with my power and blasted it into his chest approximately where a human heart would be.

"Fool did you think this feeble gesture would harm me". He grasped the hilt with one had and tried to withdraw it. It wouldn't come.

Pele stepped around from behind me trailing her hand along my still outstretched arm.

"Not in and of itself no". Says Pele as she slowly walked towards the quivering demon.

"You, you cannot harm me Earthborn". He quavered.

"No I cannot, but you have stolen much power from the Earth. That blade is forged of iron. Iron from the Earth. Iron from the stars. No I cannot touch you, but I can now touch that power of mine that you stole." At this he started to quiver, and cracks began opening in his skin, glowing the deep red of volcanic heat. Falling to one knee he vomited lava, continuously pouring from him like a fountain.

"You cannot destroy me", it choked.

"No I cannot, but here you will stay for a thousand thousand of years, burning over an over again until you are buried so completely you will never be able to dig yourself out, but I will give you one thing. You will be able to communicate with you own kind. You will tell them that the Earth since the time of it's birth, almost a star, to the day it is consumed by it's own star belongs to PELE! Your kind may wish to reconsider your plans".

Damn! Hardcore.

"Come manling, it is time to return home".

 **Chapter 7 Jinn**

Returning to the hospital, we entered, and I had expected to be arrested right on the spot. We had just kidnapped a child after all. Yet as we made our way back to the girl's room, no one in the hospital even acknowledged that we existed. They didn't like run into us they just ignored us like we were totally accepted. The Little girl by now was unconscious in my arms, I placed her into her bed, and drew the covers up around her, placing a soft kiss upon her forehead. It was then I noticed the Angel.

Standing behind the bed in a space too small for it to exist was an angel. A black on black angel of death, even the whites of it's eyes were black. I had heard about these beings, but to see one is a shock. I know they come to protect souls, important souls.

"And the souls of all children", says the angel.

"You are here for her"?

"Not just yet, there is something you must see". Then the room falls into utter blackness, and I feel like gravity has just been suspended. "LOOK", says the angel, and at that moment I am in a different place hovering high above a huge plateau.

"SEE", says the angel, and I zoom down to see Mab standing in the middle of the plateau, totally hairless and naked, her body covered in wounds and blood. Her face predatory enough before looks like it has been pared down almost to the bone. Her eyes glowing a harsh blue light. Around her power swirls so much that it is visible like liquid glass.

"SEE", again says the angel, and the view draws slightly back, and I scream! Mab is not on a huge plateau, she stands on a mountain top, and the land all around it is filled with bodies. I've seen bodies but this, this is too much to comprehend. Humans, and elves lay together, millions of them, and the bodies of all of the fey, both summer, and winter. Wizards, and monsters. Men, women and children. I feel faint, I want to faint, I don't ever want to remember this but know that every nightmare I have ever had, will no longer matter, for this will be the only one to continue. The night mare Mab raises her hands into the air, and screams….

Blackness. My mind is trying to process that image, and I feel soft arms wrap around me. I am afraid to open my eyes. A soft hand strokes my hair, and I open my eyes to find myself in the arms of an angel. Not the dark angel of death, but one with golden hair, almost mortal looking except for her beauty. "You do not cry", says her soft beautiful voice in wonder. "We had hoped you would be strong enough".

"Why would you do this to me? Why"?

"You must understand what is at stake before you make your decision".

"And how is showing me those horrors making free will possible? You know I would choose anything over that possibility".

"These things may not come to pass, and if they do it will be after your children's, children, have passed, perhaps forty generations. Mab fights a war that's consequences will effect all of reality."

"Them why aren't your kind helping her".

"Mab chose to fight this war, and her foe is not the most powerful. We fight the most powerful. If we intervene for one side, our foe must come in on the other."

"You mean?"

"Don't speak it", accompanied by a peel of thunder! "Mab must defeat this threat! Mab will defeat this threat, it can be no other way, but there is winning, and than there is victory."

"What is the difference?"

"Mab will do anything to defeat her foes. Do you understand? ANYTHING! She will not bow or be broken and in the end…."

"The cost of her victory could be everything".

"Exactly!"

"What does this child have to do with that?"

"A grain of sand".

"What the hell does that mean"?

"What the hell exactly. Mab has given everything she has ever loved to this war. Then she tore the love, and the possibility of ever having love from her soul. She has become as close to the ultimate predator as any of this earth can ever become. No mercy, no compassion, no distinctions. Anyone who goes against her word, is the enemy. That is the hell that she lives in. The weight of all reality on her shoulders."

"Are you telling me she could break"?

"She cannot break, but she can become too hard".

"And the life of this child will make the difference"?

"A dim star in a black sky, she may mean nothing at all, or mean all.".

"Then Pele and Talon's mission"?

"Pele does have something to deal with, but it is mostly a smoke screen for this. Any time Mab comes to earth, her power is discernable. She is watched, followed. They cannot know of this event. Only here in these islands are they or their agents unable to exist. Pele can see, and utterly reviles them. To their senses, Mab came and left, returning to the Nevermore".

"Why can't they come here".

"Pele does not allow it".

"She can do that"?

"Pele was born when the words, 'Let there be light', were spoken. So yes, she can do that".

"Take me back".

We returned to the hospital room, and it was as if no time had elapsed. Suddenly though Mab seemed to tighten.

"Angel you play a dangerous game", Mab says angrily. "What transpires here, what game are you and your master playing"?

"No game,", Replied the Angel calmly, now back in her black on black persona. "Only a simple choice".

"What choice", asks Mab.

"If she is to die I am here to escort and protect her onward, or you can save her life, and I will return from whence I came".

Mab for a second seems to lighten for a moment, but then tightens back up. "I cannot, take her and be gone".

"Lady", says the angel. "It is not about can not. It is about will not".

"I will not, I can not, what you suggest cannot be". Mab bows her head and begins to step back form the bed.

Somewhere deep inside my mind, a decision is made. "Mab, a moment please". Mab stops and looks calmly at me. "Mab I will make a bargain with you".

"And what might this bargain be". Does Mab look hopeful, impossible.

"Give me the life of this child, I would raise her as my own".

"Do you understand what you ask? This child is dying because it has power, awakened before it's time. She is meant to die before she becomes too destructive."

"I'll take my chances".

"Then in return for this boon what shall you give to me"?

"Me, my life, I will swear to Winter and to your command".

Mab was quiet for a moment, then the angel speaks. "Do you understand what it is you do? If you swear to Mab you renounce your human half, you will become fully elf. You risk your immortal soul! The price is to high".

"I understand; do you accept this bargain Mab"?

"Mab smiles at the angel. "I accept your bargain Jinn, no longer a scion, you are now of Winter".

"But wait", sputters the angel.

"Be gone", says Mab. "Return to your master". Mab turns back to the girl.

The Angel is silent, and starts to fade, but before she is gone completely, behind Mab's back where she cannot see. The Angel looks at Jinn, and smiles!

 **Chapter 8**

The walk back to the gates didn't seem to take as long as the walk out, and as as we approached them they stayed stubbornly closed. Funny considering Pele and I had pretty much denuded this area of baddies for the moment, and I don't think they were hurrying back for a rematch at the moment. Pele made a small motion with her hands and the top of the gate became magnified, and there stood the tall guy in the black robe with one eye like me.

"Gate Keeper, what is the meaning of this"? Asks Pele, and despite the great distance, I could tell he heard her.

"I must examine you to be sure you haven't been infected". Replied the Gate Keeper, slightly gesturing with the staff he held.

"Do not toy with me wizard, these things have no power over me".

"And what of your companion"? "He glows with power that he did not possess before, I do not recognize it."

"It is my power wizard, stripped from the walker."

"And the walker, did you destroy it"?

"It only wishes that I had done so, as will you if this gate isn't opened."

"Is that a threat"?

Pele smiled a sweet little evil smile," no wizard, merely a certainty".

Well this was getting a little out of hand. "Whoa their cowpokes, can we not have a shootout at the OK corral over this"? I said. "What do I need to do for you to pass me through Gate Keeper"?

"Remain where you are until I tell you that you can move, I must examine you closely".

"Wizard". Pele purred dangerously.

"Please Pele", I implored, "please just let me handle this".

"Manling, you do not understand. He questions my honor, the honor of Pele. The words I speak are always true. He shows me dishonor".

OH SHIT. I really needed to think fast. Then I noticed through Pele's magnification, the Gate Keeper's face. He was dripping with sweat. They say never let them see you sweat, this time it might be saving all our lives.

"Pele no, he shows you no dishonor, in fact he shows you the greatest of honors".

"Gate Keeper open the gate". The Gate Keeper tensed, and I could almost see the power building around him. "I will stand as you say, and will not move until so instructed." Pele looked at me and narrowed her eyes. "Please Lady let me prove my words".

Pele stared at me for a moment, then made a slight affirmative nod with her head. I looked to the Gate Keeper, and slowly the huge gates began to open. As they did they revealed rank upon rank of Winter Elf warriors, arranged in a phalanx. Hundreds of elf mages with power called into their hands ready to explode onto us. Battalions of archers, arrows nocked and aimed. Thousands ready to do mayhem, standing silently.

"Madam Pele, they do you the greatest honor of all, can you not see the fear before you, they fear and respect your power. Can you imagine what you could do if you had been compromised? It is fear of that they they must assay. Does this not show you respect"?

Pele stood quietly for a moment in thought, looking out at the forces allayed against us. "This would not be enough manling". I held my breath ready to be atomized. "But I will act in accordance with your request". I let out my breath, and looking out I saw many do the same.

The Gate Keeper, came around the side of the gate and walks up to me, lowering his hood, and staring intently into my eye. He approached closely and reached out his hand and placed it on my fore head.

"I can sense none of the contagion in you, but you are not as you were".

"What do you mean"? I asked.

"I could not sense any magic in you before".

"And now".

"Though you were not a wizard before you left this gate, you are most assuredly one now". Removing his hand, he waved to the waiting army, and a slight blue flash came from his arm. As if all the forces were one being they went to their knees, and an armored Elf in gorgeously chased armor strode forward removing his helmet, falling to his knees before Pele, with his sword raised in two hands, presented to Pele.

"My Lady, I beg your apologies for any disrespect you might feel we have shown". Said the Elf Lord.

Pele looked down at the kneeling Lord, and slowly placed her hand upon his blade. The blade started to glow with red volcanic fire. "And what would this apology entail".

"My life if you wish it Lady".

Pele slowly smiled, "There is no disrespect here lord, and I give you a boon to apologize for having inconvenienced you with my personal business". As she removed her hand from the elf's blade it remained glowing. "A bit of my fire to aid in your fight, rise". The elf stood, and sheathed the still glowing blade. "Thank you my Lady", and backed away to his forces as they all stood and resumed their duties.

The Gate Keeper, looked to Pele. "My Lady what will that blade do".

"It will incinerate all flesh that it touches", replied Pele.

"Mab will not be pleased with you gifting one of her own with fire."

"Silly wizard, it is not Summer Fire, it is my fire, it has always existed within Winter", and with that she turned away. "Time to leave manling".

"I will have to notify the White Council of you, you will need to be examined", noted the Gate keeper cautiously.

"No, no you won't", I answered. "I will not be a pawn to some organization, not the government, and certainty not your White Council."

"I'm sorry, but that is the law", replied the Gate Keeper.

"Gate Keeper"? Pele had turned and was listening to the conversation. "Do you recognize me as one covered by the accords", Pele asked in an off hand tone?

"Well yes Madam Pele, I do".

"By the accords, each signatory is allowed one mortal to stand as their factor in dealing with the other members, and mortals", stated calmly.

"Yes that is so, both Summer, and Winter have their mortal knights", The Gate Keeper suddenly smiled.

"It is time for me to deal more in the mortal world, and I believe I have found my knight, and I would be very put out if wizards were to trouble him".

"That certainly would give them pause my Lady". Turning to me the Gate Keeper says," Do you understand what Pele is saying"?

"Ah, not really", I answer confused.

"If you become her knight, you would be beyond the council's reach. I would be an act of war on Pele, and after I report the things that have happened here. I doubt seriously that anyone is going to want to push it."

Pele reaches out here hand and places it on my shoulder. "I find I have become slightly fond of you manling".

"My name is Talon."

And it is done.

 **Chapter 9**

Going through a magical portal is unnerving, one moment you're in a devastated wasteland with thousands of weird creatures trying to kill you. The next you're in Hawaii, on top of a volcano, standing in molten lava. Whaaaat! Skipping across to where it looks like it is at least solid I notice that I am not burning alive. I can feel the heat vaguely, but it doesn't hurt, in fact it feels almost nice.

Behind me I hear a giggle and turn to see Pele with one hand covering what had to be a delighted smile. Unexpectedly she takes her hand and makes a circular motion with her index finger around her ear and says. "Duh, Pele's knight".

What have I gotten myself into? Pele ascents from the fiery caldron, much more gracefully then I, and together we make our way towards one of the tourist outlooks. As we moved closer three figures were making their way towards us. At about 50 yards Jinn comes bolting across the lava to do her impersonation of a squirrel climbing a tree, and suddenly I have her in my arms and joy floods through me. Finding her lips on mine, I give as good as I get, and she hugs me so tightly I can't breathe. After a few glorious moments she lets go and taking my hand leads me towards the approaching Mab, with a small golden haired child strolling next to her, her small hand in Mab's.

"Cheyenne, come meet your new Dad", Jinn says to the girl going to her knees and reaching out to her. "Talon this is our daughter". Quieter," I'll explain later". A look of worry in her eyes.

She didn't have to worry, from the moment she introduced me to my new daughter, a deep bell tone began to sound in my heart. Have you ever met some one who you just know is going to part of your life, with an unexplainable certainty?

The little girl had hidden her self behind Mab, and was peeking out cautiously beside her leg, when I went down to one knee.

"Girl, you are a princess and have no need to be afraid", says Mab unexpectedly. Looking down at the little girl, "I must leave, I have other matters to attend to, Lady Jinn will take good care of you."

"Yes auntie", replies the little girl sweetly, then hugs Mab's legs before walking towards Jinn and I.

For a brief instant I saw Mab look…. No, not possible. Did Mab have a tan?

"Hello Cheyenne, my name is Talon".

"Are you my daddy?" She says as she comes into the first of many hugs I would give her.

"If you like, you can call me Papa".

"I think I shall Papa".

Looking up I see Mab, and Pele looking calmly at one another.

"Has the assistance I've provided met with your approval Pele"?

"Yes, it was quite effective. In fact, if you have no objections, I have taken him as my knight".

"If you think him worthy of such, I have no objection". With that Mab turns to leave.

"Sister, did you enjoy your time in my islands"?

"Enjoy"?

"Come back again, we need to talk about things".

"I may do that, I have heard of something called a shrimp truck, it sounds intriguing", answers Maab.


End file.
